A SOUTHAMPTON driver who died after slamming head-on into a bus was likely taken ill at the wheel, an inquest heard.

Anthony 'Tony' Hurst, an "incredibly well loved" husband, father and grandfather, was travelling along Lordshill Way on June 28 after dropping off his wife. At around 6.30pm, his car collided with the oncoming vehicle and he was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The 67-year-old had a ten-year history of chronic leg pain and had been taking painkillers. A toxicology report found he had six times the therapeutic level of the drug in his system at the time of death, which is thought to have caused a medical episode.

Mr Hurst's wife Joanne said: "He was in a lot of pain. The spinal chord stimulator he had fitted to help had stopped working, but I wasn't aware he was taking more of the painkiller than he should have been.

"Tony was incredibly well loved by everyone. There were 86 people at his funeral and we all loved him to bits, and we were in a good place.

"We had a boat trip planned and had just paid for a getaway to the Isle of Wight – we had lots to look forward to."

Forensic investigators found that Mr Hurst had been travelling at 73mph at the time of impact and was not wearing a seatbelt. As the road bent his silver Vauxhall Corsa continued in a straight line, crossing into the oncoming lane and ultimately colliding with the bus.

PC Andrew Daw said: "The Corsa was lying on its side and had completely rotated. The front had been obliterated and the engine was lying on the roadside.

"The bus driver reacted very quickly to the situation, but had nowhere else to go. A collision was inevitable."

Fire crews had to cut the bus driver from his cabin. He suffered serious injuries to his left leg and spent weeks in hospital.

There were between 10 and 12 passengers on the bus and some also had to be treated in hospital.

Acting area coroner Samantha Marsh concluded death by road traffic collision.

She said: "I am not persuaded Tony was concious at the time of the collision."